Therapeutic Principle:
Shock wave is a mechanical wave characterized by the propagation of a discontinuous peak through a medium, causing abrupt changes in physical properties such as pressure, temperature, and density. It accumulates substantial energy through the vibration of objects.
As a novel treatment modality bridging conservative therapy and surgical intervention, shock wave therapy is non-invasive, trauma-free, minimally painful, short in treatment duration, rapid in efficacy, safe, and reliable. It avoids surgical complications and offers a more humane approach, effectively addressing the issue of recurrence common in traditional therapies. Hence, it is hailed as the "bloodless scalpel" and regarded as the "last line of defense in pain management."
Stress Effect: During propagation, shock waves exhibit specific acoustic properties, generating tensile and compressive forces at interfaces with different acoustic impedances. This mechanically disrupts materials, aiding in the release of tissue adhesions and the fragmentation of bone spurs.
Cavitation Effect: As shock waves travel through a medium, they produce a series of cavitation bubbles. These bubbles grow, oscillate, and collapse, releasing significant energy.
Analgesic Effect: Shock waves activate the production of substance P. After sustained application, the pain threshold is elevated, and the generation of substance P is reduced.
Metabolic Activation: Shock waves alter cell membrane permeability, accelerate ion exchange across the membrane, and facilitate the clearance and absorption of metabolic byproducts.
Other Effects: These include osteogenic effects and the promotion of vascular endothelial growth factor production.

Indications:
Neck: Cervical myofascial syndrome, acute peri-cervical joint inflammation (stiff neck), cervical radiculopathy, cervicogenic headache;
Shoulder: Calcific tendinitis of the shoulder, long head biceps tendinitis, subacromial bursitis, shoulder impingement syndrome, periarthritis of the shoulder (frozen shoulder);
Elbow: Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow), medial epicondylitis (golfer's elbow), olecranon bursitis;
Wrist: Stenosing tenosynovitis of the radial styloid, flexor tendon tenosynovitis of the hand, osteonecrosis of the wrist;
Back: Lumbar myofascial pain syndrome, lumbar disc herniation, posterior ramus syndrome;
Hip: Snapping hip (iliotibial band friction syndrome), gluteal fasciitis, greater trochanteric pain syndrome, ischemic femoral head necrosis, hip bursitis;
Knee: Patellar tendinopathy (jumper's knee), prepatellar bursitis, patellar chondromalacia, knee osteoarthritis;
Leg: Osteochondritis of the tibial tubercle, shin splints;
Ankle: Traumatic arthritis of the ankle, osteochondral injury/osteonecrosis of the talus;
Foot: Peritendinitis of the Achilles tendon (insertional Achilles tendinitis), plantar fasciitis, calcaneal spur, inferior calcaneal fat pad inflammation.